GETTING READY FOR MY JOURNEY.
She could not know the pain she gave me by her evasions, that was the
excuse I found for her. The dread that after all she intended to
disappoint me pressed like a heavy weight upon my brain. She must have
seen something in my face that alarmed her, for she asked if I would
like a glass of water--or wine. When I replied in the negative she came
at once to the preliminaries that were in her mind.
"I am going, of course," she said. "That is, if you think it worth while
to grant all the demands I find necessary. I shall be glad when this
disagreeable part of our bargain is ended, and I believe you will be
equally, if not more so."
"What is it now?" I inquired, rather querulously. "What do you want?
Come to the point, I beg, without further delay."
She turned to a mirror, and with a brush that lay on the bureau pushed
back the hair that was half tumbling over her face--hair that was light
and yet not blonde; hair that matched well with her blue-gray eyes and
her regular features.
"It is not so easy as you may think to detail these things," she said,
when her face was again turned toward me. "I have to depend on myself
for my living, but I hate to assume the guise of a beggar. Still, as I
told you in the first place, my purse is practically empty. There are
many articles needed if I am to go with you, that I would not otherwise
want at this season of the year. They will cost money. I--"
"All that was settled in my letter to-day," I interrupted. "Have you not
received it?"
"Yes, I received the letter, and I want to thank you for its kindness of
tone. As I understand it, you offer to advance me what I need to prepare
for the journey. This, I presume, is to be deducted from my salary,
which under ordinary circumstances, would be quite acceptable. But, as I
told you, I have another to support, and I have to rely upon my weekly
stipend for that purpose."
For a moment I doubted the girl. Was she after all an adventuress who
meant to get what she could in advance, and disappear when the time of
departure came? No man likes to be made the victim of a schemer. I do
not care any more for a few dollars than the average of my fellows, but
the thought of having them cheated out of me is not pleasant to
contemplate. I imagined my chagrin if I should go sailing off to the
Caribbean with the reflection that I had been the victim of a
smooth-tongued woman--I, who had been through the same mill, and ought
to have learned something.
"I see my suggestion does not please you," came in low tones from my
companion. "I was a little afraid it would not. I am such a stranger
that I cannot wonder if you distrust me. Well, I have no desire to
influence you. I have told you my situation."
Rousing myself from my reverie I looked earnestly into the fair young
face.
"Marjorie," I began; "may I call you 'Marjorie?'"
"As you please."
"I am sure, as I gaze into your eyes, that I trust you implicitly. The
recollection of a woman whom I once trusted to my sorrow came between us
for an instant, that is all. I am going to believe in you without the
slightest mental reservation, but I want to say just one thing. If I
discover that I am again deceived it will not be the paltry cash I shall
mind. I shall only regret the new wrench to my confidence in the honesty
of your sex. What you will need in the present emergency will have but
little effect on my income. I would willingly make you a present of it,
if no plan such as I have in mind were a part of the contract.
Marjorie," I continued, leaning toward her and taking up one of her
hands respectfully, "I trust you perfectly. Tell me how much money you
wish and I will bring it within an hour. As the expense is caused
entirely on my account, I have no idea of deducting a cent of it from
your salary, which, if agreeable will be the same you already receive,
twenty dollars a week. While I shall not promise too much, let me add
that this will not be the extent of your compensation, by any means, if
we get along together as well as I hope. Now, my dear girl, say there
are no more lions in my path and that your last stipulation is agreed
to."
She did not answer at once and her delay filled me with the most
disagreeable forebodings.
"I want to go," she said, at last; and it was something that she did not
compel me to release her hand. "I want to go, very much indeed. Only,
you must not expect--" she paused again--"anything more than--"
"Do not distress yourself," I replied, divining what was in her mind. "I
am going to the West Indies. Until the importation of coal begins at
Newcastle, no one will dream of taking a woman on such a journey for an
improper purpose."
She brightened visibly, and although she released my hand at the same
moment she did it in a way that implied naught of distrust.
"It is a peculiar arrangement, though, take it altogether, is it not?"
she asked, softly. "You are a man with, I judge, some knowledge of the
world. What would your masculine friends say if you told them your plan?
Would they believe in the innocence of your motive, as you ask me to
do?"
I told her that my masculine friends were like others of their sex, I
presumed, and might put the worst construction on anything, if they
chose. There was not one of them to whom I had imparted my secret, and
there would be none. I had looked over the "Madiana's" passenger list
and seen no familiar name. There was not a chance in ten thousand that
any person on the boat would know me, and if they did, there was a
practical impossibility that they would know my family. I promised the
most perfect discretion while on board, desiring as much as she to avoid
exciting suspicion. Would she, I asked her, be any better off if I had
proved what she imagined when she answered my advertisement--an elderly
gentleman with rheumatism and green glasses? The proverb that there is
no fool like an old fool might answer that question. As she had
remarked in her letter, Mrs. Grundy could not arrange the lives of all
her friends, and the best thing was to satisfy one's own self.
This seemed to please her, for she dropped the subject and asked
particulars about the amount of baggage that each passenger was allowed
to carry; which put me in better spirits, for it indicated that her face
was at last turned toward the morning. I told her that a steamer trunk
for the stateroom, a handbag, and a larger trunk to put in the hold was
what I intended to take for myself, and I thought she would need the
same. I asked if she had the articles, saying that, if she had not, I
would be glad to order them sent to her.
"I have only a small trunk--it has managed hitherto to hold what things
I have," was her reply.
"Then, with your permission, I will procure the entire outfit," I said.
"Now, about the clothing and that sort of stuff. How much cash shall you
require?"
She drew a long breath, and conceiving that she was afraid to name a sum
I came again to the rescue.
"I will bring you two hundred and fifty dollars this afternoon," I said.
"That ought to take you through."
Indeed, I thought the amount very liberal, and supposed she would say
that it was even more than she expected. She did nothing of the kind,
however, but only nodded acquiescence.
"There is something I was to ask you," I said, remembering what Mr.
Cook's clerk had requested. "The berths are getting scarce on the
'Madiana'--and the agent wishes to know if you are willing to have
another person share your room."
The young woman drew herself up and surveyed me with a cold expression.
It was several seconds before I divined its cause, and then I had sense
enough to pretend not to notice.
"A passenger who is going to occupy a room in that part of the boat
wants, if possible, to have his niece near him," I continued. "She will
take the upper berth, if you are willing, in your cabin, but it rests
with you. I have arranged for the entire room."
Her icy features relaxed and she was herself again.
"I am quite willing," she answered. "In fact, had I known you intended
to reserve an entire room for me I should have protested. Of course, it
adds to the expense and I would rather have some one there than not. Are
you going to occupy your room alone?"
I told her about Wesson, and she endorsed my action unreservedly.
"Where a trip cost so much, there is no need of adding to the expense,"
she said, thoughtfully. "I want to say another thing: As I am putting
you to so much cost, you need not feel obliged on my account to stop at
the highest priced hotels, when we are on shore. Anything comfortable
and respectable will satisfy me."
I laughed as I responded that the best hotels in the Caribbean were
neither very dear nor very luxurious. I would take her where I should
have gone had I been alone and I hoped she would find herself
"comfortable," as she expressed it, at all of them. I glanced at my
watch at this juncture and suggested that perhaps I had best be going.
If she was to do any shopping that day she would have to receive the
"needful" very soon.
"Oh, to-morrow will do for the shopping," she replied. "If it is
convenient you may send the money to-night, but I could not make much
progress after this hour of the day. I shall probably have to get my
suits ready made and submit to alterations. There is very little time
left us now."
There was a partnership in this expression that pleased me greatly. I
said as I rose that I hoped no new doubts would creep into her head, for
I felt as if the journey we were to make together had actually begun.
"I cannot conceive of a reason to change my mind, unless it comes from
some action of yours," said Miss May. "And I feel quite certain there
will not be any."
"You may be positive of it," I replied. "I will go now to order the
trunks, which may not, however, arrive before morning. As to the money,
I will send it by a messenger as soon as possible. Au revoir."
"Au revoir," she said. "Let me add one thing more before you go. I am
very grateful for the kindness you are showing me, more so than I fear I
make plain, and as far as lies in my power I will endeavor to prove it."
"Don't mention it," I said, affected by her words. "All the obligation
has been and will continue to remain on my side. Expect me Saturday
afternoon."
I had again escaped without yielding to a temptation to do something
foolish, for which I thanked my stars. It was with positive elation
that I walked toward Sixth Avenue.
The dream was coming true. She was going with me. Nothing would come
between us now!
I went without delay to my bank and drew four hundred dollars in fifty
dollars bills, three hundred of which I enclosed in an envelope and sent
at once to Miss May, by a district messenger. I thought it would drive
another nail in the transaction to increase the amount I had promised,
and fifty dollars was to me, in this connection, like a brass farthing
to a millionaire.
Taking a passing car I rode to Macy's, where I purchased a large and a
small trunk of compressed bamboo, covered with cloth of imitation
leather, the lightest and strongest trunk that human ingenuity has yet
invented. The larger one had several trays and a hat box, and was
pronounced by the salesman the very latest thing. The bag gave me more
trouble, but I settled at last on a tasty affair, with special
arrangements for toilet articles, which was to be its main object of
use, and heard to my delight that all of the things would be delivered
without fail that very evening.
On returning to my room I picked up the letters received from the Herald
office and read them over again, laughing occasionally at something
particularly amusing. What a lot of silly women there must be in New
York, when a modest "Personal" like mine had set so many of them
spoiling good stationery with such nonsense. The only two worth giving
any thought to were those from Marjorie and Miss Brazier. A whimsical
notion struck me to write to "Alice" and tell her how near she had been
to winning the "prize" in my case. In the course of fifteen minutes I
had produced the following letter:
My Dear Miss Brazier:--As there were but two answers to my Herald
advertisement (out of nearly as many hundred) worth noticing, and as
yours was one of them, I may be pardoned for telling you that your
Hated Rival has been secured by me for my Tropical Trip. Had you
given me the least chance to discover your excellencies, it might
quite as likely have been your fate to accompany me, so you will see
how very narrow was your escape. Having recently recovered from a
long illness (whence the necessity of a Southern voyage) I had no
desire to meet your angry relatives, and I have yet to learn how to
gauge a young lady's personality by mail. So you put yourself out of
the running to begin with.
I am sure, however, it will please you to know that Another has
satisfied herself with my proposals and is now engaged in
preparations to accompany me to a warmer clime. She is not only "all
my fancy painted her," but more. As near as I can tell in the
absence of actual measurements, she is about S feet 4 inches in
height, well made, full chested, with a face to dream about, bluish
gray eyes and hair of a rather light shade. But this description
fails utterly to convey an adequate idea of her exquisite charm.
I am to pay her--imagine making a pecuniary arrangement with an
houri!--twenty dollars a week and expenses, only; except that the
wardrobe which she finds it necessary to purchase for a climate
averaging 78 deg. at this season, is also to be charged to me.
Was ever so much given for so little? I shall certainly insist on
her accepting a nice little purse of "conscience money" on her
return, if we decide, on mature reflection, to terminate our
contract at that time.
Now, be magnanimous and write me a note of congratulation; I am sure
you have a kind heart and will be glad all my correspondents did not
threaten me with gouty and quick tempered uncles in case I wished to
call on a purely business errand.
Very Truly,
David Camwell, Lambs Club.
New York, Dec. 30, 1897.
I summoned a district messenger, by a call in my room, and dispatched
this to East Sixteenth Street, though why I did not put it in the mail I
do not know. There was certainly no haste required. The steward of the
club would send an answer, if one was received, without delay, for I had
given him my pseudonym, and he was too wise to ask questions.
That night I dreamed I was at St. Thomas; that Marjorie had somehow
changed into the Quarantine Keeper's daughter; and that Laps, the Danish
dog, was proceeding to tear her in pieces, when I interfered and treated
him as Samson did the Lion in the Hebrew tale. The girl had fainted in
my arms and, I was calling wildly upon Heaven to restore her senses,
when a servant, up late, woke me by knocking on my door and inquiring if
I wished for anything.
I searched for a bootjack to throw at the fellow's head, and not finding
it in the dark, I threw a few uncomplimentary expletives instead. But
sleep had vanished for that night, and after taking a cold bath I threw
myself on a sofa, where with a pipe in my mouth I spent the long hours
till morning drawing pictures of the happiness so soon to be mine.